It was the moment when a French national hero revealed deep flaws in his
character in front of 260 million television viewers. Now, a five-metre
(16ft) bronze statue of Zinedine Zidane’s infamous headbutt in the 2006
World Cup Final has gone on display outside the Pompidou Centre in Paris —
to the horror of the footballer’s supporters.

They have demanded that the work, by the Algerian artist Adel Abdessemed, be
removed immediately — but, so far at least, without success. Michel Keff,
the chairman of the National Association of French Football Districts, said
the statue, which shows Zidane assaulting Marco Materazzi, the